Volkswagen unveils the Cross Coupé GTE in Detroit

The Cross Coupé GTE is the third preview of the SUV that Volkswagen is developing for North America.

Volkswagen will unveil a new conceptual preview of the mid-size SUV at the Detroit Motor Show, which it will build in the United States starting in 2016. After presenting the CrossBlue in 2013 at the same show, this year it is the turn of the Cross Coupé GTE, a prototype that resembles the CrossBlue Coupé shown at the Shanghai and Los Angeles shows in 2013 more than the Cross Coupé the brand took to the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011.

The new GTE is based on the MQB modular platform, just like the previous SUV previews that Volkswagen is developing for the North American market. It measures 4.85 meters long, 1.74 tall and 2.03 wide, figures slightly larger than those of the current Touareg. The key is that the next generation of the latter will grow, so the SUV previewed by the Cross Coupé GTE will end up positioned between the Tiguan and the Touareg.

The design, interior and hybrid system are very similar to those of the CrossBlue Coupé prototype.

Compared with the CrossBlue Coupé, the Cross Coupé GTE has a slightly more robust look and a more understated interior.Compared with the CrossBlue Coupé, the Cross Coupé GTE stands out for its higher front end, less sharp headlights, the bumper, much more pronounced wheel arches, a slightly different C-pillar cut, the absence of roof rails (it now has a panoramic roof), more conventional rear lights, the rear bumper without a grille between the exhaust tips, and a new chrome strip adorning the tailgate.

The cabin also changes in certain aspects, such as the air vents, the newly designed centre console that is cleaner, and the replacement of the CrossBlue’s eye-catching touches, such as the orange stitching, with a more restrained yet brighter décor. Although the Cross Coupé GTE retains the five seats of the CrossBlue Coupé, Volkswagen will launch the final model with seven.

Straight lines also dominate the cabin, which in the final model will have seven seats instead of the five of this prototype.

The 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen is inherited from the new Audi TT and Volkswagen Passat, while the 10.1-inch unit at the top of the centre console offers both touch and gesture control.

The hybrid system is practically identical to that of the CrossBlue Coupé, although the petrol engine produces slightly more power and there are new operating modes.This concept vehicle features a hybrid system with a layout almost identical to that of the CrossBlue Coupé. It consists of a petrol six-cylinder FSI V-engine of 3.6 litres, mounted transversely at the front, producing 280 CV, and two electric motors of 54 and 116 CV (as in the CrossBlue Coupé) driving the front and rear wheels respectively.

Maximum output reaches 360 CV, enabling the Cross Coupé GTE to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just over six seconds and reach a top speed of 209 km/h. This prototype features a dual-clutch automatic gearbox with six ratios and four-wheel drive.

The new SUV will be built from 2016 at the American plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The front electric motor can act as a generator for the rear one with the help of the petrol engine. In this way, the vehicle always has all-wheel drive.The hybrid system offers five operating modes: E-Mode, Hybrid, GTE, Offroad and Battery Hold / Battery Charge. In the first, the rear electric motor works alone and gives a maximum range of around 32 kilometres with a fully charged lithium-ion battery. When the system detects that the battery’s energy level is too low, it automatically starts the petrol engine.

The prototype’s versatility is also reflected in the different driving profiles the driver can select: Onroad (with Comfort and Eco subcategories), Offroad (divided into three surface types), Sport and Snow. When the Offroad profile is chosen and the battery is not sufficiently charged, the front electric motor works as a generator managed by the petrol engine, with the energy transferred to the rear electric motor. This way all-wheel drive is maintained in any kind of circumstance.

Source | Volkswagen